Illusions
by Princess Caraboo
Summary: It took Cedric about 5 minutes into their date to realise that Cho wasn’t the girl he thought she was. C/OC, CHO-BASHING. If you don’t like that don’t read.
1. Chapter 1

_**Illusions**_

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own any of the characters you recognise; Allie however is a product of my own imagination. I am making no money out of this and suing me would be a waste of your time.

_**Summary:**_ It took Cedric about 5 minutes into their date to realise that Cho wasn't the girl he thought she was. C/OC, CHO-BASHING. If you don't like that don't read.

_**Author's Note:**_ In advance, I'm sorry if people don't like how I'm portraying Cho but this is how I always saw her.

---

It took Cedric about 5 minutes into their date to realise that Cho wasn't the girl he thought she was. It was at that time that Cho had started parading him around like an award-winning cocker spaniel and making sure that whenever they took to the dance floor that they were always in Harry Potter's line of sight. He knew that Harry had asked her to the ball, he had accidentally over-heard her telling her friends but to be rubbing it in his face that she was here with someone else?

He mumbled something about getting a drink and left her giggling with her friends. He made his way over to the drinks table and stood next to a girl who was staring rather intently into the punch bowl. She looked up at him and smiled and he was taken by how pretty she was. Not exotically beautiful like Cho but pretty.

She had long wavy blonde hair in a half-up, half-down do and she was wearing a purple dress, the bodice was corseted which showed off her slim figure with just a hint of curves, her makeup was very natural and all the jewellery she wore was a simple necklace.

"Is the punch really that interesting?" Cedric asked.

"More so than my date who's been spending the entire evening staring at my best friend's breasts." She said nodding towards a boy who he recognised as a Ravenclaw who was staring rather intently at a girl's breasts, ignorant of the death glare her own date was giving him. "I give it another 5 minutes before Jeremy decks him."

Cedric laughed his mood lifting. "I'm Cedric Diggory."

"I know." She said smiling. "I'm Allie Carden."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Allie."

"You too, Cedric."

They stood in comfortable silence for a minute just smiling at each other before Allie broke it. "Shouldn't you be getting back to Cho?"

"Probably, but she's more interested in rubbing it in Harry Potter's face that we're here together than actually spending time with me." He said.

"Yeah, I share a dorm with her. I heard her bragging about how both Hogwarts champions had asked her." She said and then turned pale. "I shouldn't have told you that. I mean you're a nice guy and-"

Cedric cut her off, "No, I'm glad you did."

The song that the Weird Sisters were playing came to an end and they started on an intro to what Cedric recognised as one of their slower songs, "Do you want t-" he started to say but was cut off by Cho who appeared at his shoulder.

"Come on, Ced, let's dance!" She said dragging him off. He gave Allie an apologetic look and she smiled at him before turning back to the punch bowl.

---

Cedric looked around for Allie from his vantage point on the dance floor; she was no longer over by the punch bowl. He did a quick sweep as he swung Cho around, and caught sight of her date one hand pressed to his eye and Allie's dress disappearing through the small crowd that had gathered around him and Jeremy who was glaring at him his fists clenched. He smirked.

"What's so funny?" Cho asked perplexed.

"Nothing."

_**TBC**_

**Constructive criticism is welcome. FLAMES ARE NOT! Review if you want to see more of this.**

_The inspiration for Allie was Taylor Swift in this dress. Just copy it into your browser and take out all the spaces._

www. taylorswiftweb .net/ gallery/ displayimage. php? pid=15761&fullsize=1


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer:**_ See Chapter 1.

_**Chapter 2**_

It was the day that classes went back before Cedric saw Allie again, despite the fact that he'd spent the rest of the holidays looking for her. He had taken to being one of the first to arrive at meals and one of the last to leave but he'd never managed to get even a glance at her. Then he'd started stalking the library hoping she'd turn up there but she hadn't. He was starting to think she was avoiding him.

She was standing outside the Arithmancy classroom, her hair done up in a messy ponytail and her head stuck in a book. He started to make his way over to her, and he was only a few meters away when someone stepped in his way.

"Cedric! I haven't seen you since the ball." Cho said smiling up at him happily and Cedric had to stop himself from groaning.

"I've been busy," he said. "The Second Task is coming up." He added not wanting to hurt her.

"Oh, oh of course. So, do you-"

"I have to get to Transfiguration." Cedric said cutting her off and he all but ran away.

---

That afternoon when he entered the library it took him only a few seconds to find her. She was seated a few desks away from Madam Pince with her head resting on her hand as she stared at the book in front of her. She'd changed out of her uniform and was wearing a black hoodie and a pair of jeans.

"Hey, what are you studying?" He asked taking the seat across from her.

"Arithmancy. I hate it but my dad'll kill me if I don't get an O." She said glaring at the book. He leaned over to get a glimpse; the book was filled with equations that made him go cross eyed just looking at them.

"I'm sorry I can't help you mine made me take Care of Magical Creatures. I think I got the better deal." He joked and she laughed making his stomach flip over.

"What about you? What are you studying?"

"Just working on something for the Second Task."

"I can help you with the research, if you want? Anymore Arithmancy and I'll be dreaming about equations." She said closing the book with a snap and pushing it aside.

"That'd be great thanks."

"Ok, so what do you need help with?" She asks.

"Everything. I don't understand it at all. Every time I open the egg it starts screeching like a banshee."

"Could it be some type of ward? There's a book in the restricted section that does the same thing." Allie asked.

"How do you know about it if it's in the restriction section?" Cedric asked suspiciously and she looked at him little guiltily. "Never mind, I've tried a few simple ward detection spells but they always came up clean."

"So either the spells aren't powerful enough or-"

"It's not a ward and if it's not a ward what is it?" Cedric finished off for her.

"How about I go grab some books from the DADA section? They'll probably be our best bet." She said standing up. He nodded and watched her go with a smile on his face. Once she'd disappeared in the stacks he tore his gaze away and got out his parchment and quills.

"Hey, Ced!" Cho said, sitting down next to him. "What are you doing here?"

"Research, Allie's helping."

"Who?" Cho asked confused.

"Allie Carden." He elaborated but Cho still looked confused. "Don't you share a dorm with her?"

"Oh, her!" Cho said and Cedric found himself disappointed in her once again. She'd been sharing a dorm with Allie for five years but had yet to learn her name? "So anyway," She said brushing it off. "This morning I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with me to Hogsmeade next weekend but you had to leave."

"Oh, I've already got plans." Cedric said vaguely hoping she'd get the point that he wasn't interested and leave it alone. She didn't.

"Oh, who with?"

"Allie." He said just as Allie returned with a pile of books. She raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything.

"Come on, it's a Hogsmeade weekend; you should be having fun not studying."

"It's important. For the second task."

"Ok, well I'm sure I can get _someone_ else to take me."

Cedric stopped himself from suggesting Harry Potter because despite the fact that they were rivals, first on the Quidditch pitch and now in the tournament, he actually kind of liked him. He was a nice kid.

When it seemed as if her threat hadn't worked she huffed and stood up. "Maybe next time?" She asked.

"Maybe."

When she was gone, he looked over at Allie. "What was that about?" She asked.

"Just trying to ask me out." He said. "So, what books did you get?" He asked changing the subject quickly.

She handed over a particularly large one, "_A Comprehensive Guide to Wards._ Couldn't you get something smaller?" He asked opening it up, and read the first sentence it was as confusing as her Arithmancy text book, "And in English?"

"I looked for _Wards for Dummies_ but the school doesn't have one." She said smirking.

"Huh?"

"Never mind. Want to swap?" She asked holding out a much smaller book, he traded gladly.

"You know just because you're a Ravenclaw doesn't mean you're smarter than me." He said, "I could have read that book if I'd wanted to."

"Of course you could have." She said in the tone you would use while speaking to a petulant toddler.

He smiled and cracked open the book, despite Cho things were looking pretty good.

TBC


End file.
